Somalia: Federal Govt troops take back town in deadly battle

AWDHEGLE, Somalia, May 23, 2015 (Garowe Online)-Somali government forces have taken back southern Somalia town of Awdhegle and Mubarak village from Al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab militants in deadly battle on Saturday, Garowe Online reports.

Militants reportedly captured Awdhegle in overnight raid, remaining in control of the two districts until Saturday morning according to witnesses and officials.

Awdhegle district commissioner Mohamed Aweys Abukar has confirmed that 26 Al Shabaab fighters were killed in the fiercest clashes in two years while on government side, they lost 19 soldiers on VOA Somali Service.

“The fighting occurred early in the morning. Al Shabaab attacked Aw Dhegle and Mubarak leading to fierce gun-battle and direct confrontation,” said Abukar.”19 government soldiers died on two battlegrounds, and we killed 26 Al Shabaab militants, their bodies are lying on outskirts of Mubarak village”.

The vicinities overrun by Al Shabaab fell to allied forces two years ago but African Union peacekeepers are said to have made pullout in late February.

Somalia government official said he was worried about the shortage of ammunition facing forces stationed in Awdhegle.

Al Shabaab claimed, it has killed 25 government soldiers in the deadly raid on Awdhegle and Mubarak.

The attack is the second to be reported, highlighting revert to guerilla warfare by the beleaguered militants.

Somali militant group lost a string of strategic towns in central and southern Somalia in intense military campaign in early 2014. 

GAROWE ONLINE